Dictionary

cruck en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /kɹʊk/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
• /kɹʌk/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Perhaps from a dialectal variant of crutch or crook.

Meanings

1. A sturdy timber with a curve or angle used for primary framing of a timber house, usually used in pairs.
   • Historic England explained the listing: "The station's unique design employs a high level of sophistication and innovation through its use of conoid shells supported on a cruck-like frame, which not only create a dramatic aesthetic form, but endow the building with a light and spacious interior." 2023 March 22, Philip Haigh, “Five configuration stages to boost Manchester rail capacity”, in RAIL, number 979, page 31:
   • 1952: To construct such a house, it is necessary to select an oak with a branch growing out at an angle of about 45°; the upper part of the tree, above the fork, having been cut off, the trunk and branch are roughly squared and divided in half . If the two halves are then placed opposite one another, with the branch ends pegged together, they constitute what was usually known as a 'cruck' or, more correctly, 'a pair of crucks'. — L.F. Salzman, Building in England, p. 195.

Forms

Deriveds

cruck-truss · cruck-frame

cruck en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /kɹʊk/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
• /kɹʌk/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Perhaps from a dialectal variant of crutch or crook.

Meanings

1. (dialectal, transitive) To make lame.

Forms

cruck en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /kɹʊk/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
• /kɹʌk/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From blend of car + truck.

Meanings

1. A vehicle that has features of both a car and a truck.
   • It was a car/truck. The cab had two seats like a car and the back had a flat cut out for cargo like a truck. People used to call it a 'Cruck'. 2010, Michael Thoreau, Oh Brother, Why?:
   • It was a half car, half truck. I christened it the “Cruck”. 2011, Karl J. Stenstrom, The Low Road:

Forms